Dance on the Wind
by dolphinroxy
Summary: For revenge she will lose one of the most important things in her life...but she might win something else she wasn't hoping for! What will I get if I win? Anything. What if you win? You surrender your powers to me.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to my new story…well not only mine! This time my best friend (Legolas_Stelstar) and I are working on it. We really hope you guys enjoy this story. We have been planning this story for months, making sure that every single detail is almost perfect. Also thanks a lot to my beta ScarlettBlush. I'm sure she's going to make this story so much better. **

**Disclaimer: We own nothing! Everything belongs to JK Rowlings.**

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_September 1, 1998_

September the first. The start of the first term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. First years would be scared to enter the mysterious castle, especially after the events that took place at the end of the last academic year in June. The seventh years were excited to be the big guys in the arena; the oldest and therefore the more experienced students. However, they were in for a big surprise because the Ministry of Magic declared that any student who attended his or her seventh year during the war against Voldemort could go back and finish their last year without the terror and stress that previously kept them from finishing their year. Suddenly, the new seventh years wouldn't be the hottest piece of magic on the land because the previous seventh year students would be joining them.

Such was the case for Draco Malfoy. In spite of his brains and top grades, his last year had been a total waste of…well, everything. And even though he already knew much more than any young wizard should know –he was, after all, an ex Death Eater whose home had been the lair to the Darkest Wizard—he found himself packing his things away to go back to Hogwarts for take two at his last year as a student. Draco had many reasons for not going back to school. Most people hated his guts and his family, and now that they had fallen from grace, there was nothing that would stop students from treating him like mud.

He couldn't even count on his fellow Slytherins who didn't take betrayal nicely, and he didn't know how his part in helping Harry Potter would settle with them. There were two groups in Slytherin: those who fully supported the Dark Lord and those, who in fear, meekly stepped aside. Both were cowards who were too afraid to go against the powerful wizard. And Draco's sudden jump from Death Eater to Potter Helper wouldn't settle well with the students in Slytherin. If both parties rejected him, who would be there for him? His friend Crabbe died in the war and Goyle didn't answer his letters. He didn't know if Pansy or Blaise Zabini would return. And the only professor who ever helped him was dead.

'So _why _am I going back again?" he muttered angrily, closing his suitcases with his wand. He heard a feminine voice talking to his father a few rooms next to his.

_Ah, yes…mother. _It was his mothers request that he finished his last year of education, and because he loved her, because she was all he had, he went.

He waited in his house to apparate to King's Cross station. His mother was going to accompany him alone, considering that his father, Lucius Malfoy was under a self-imposed exile since the war ended, and refused to face the world. He wasn't ready for the rejection he was sure to receive.

"Mother, it's almost time to get to the damn station. I don't want to be late." Of course, internally he was thinking, _I don't want people looking at me like I'm some sort of weird creature._

"Draco, I'm coming, I was trying to convince your father to join us, but he won't listen," she said with sadness in her eyes as she reappeared into his room. Out of all of them, it was surprisingly Narcissa who didn't care what people said about them. The way she saw it, she helped Potter live. She could have killed him, but she had decided to help him. And for that, people should be grateful! People made mistakes, horrible mistakes, worse than what _they_ had done. So who could blame them for being loyal to Voldemort? It was that or death. In her not so humble opinion, all the bad things she had done should be forgiven immediately after she saved the life of the war hero. Unfortunately, people loved to hold grudges and she couldn't do anything about that.

"Father isn't coming, because he lost more than what you lost mother," he said feeling annoyed with her persistence. When was his mother going to understand that they were still the bad people, and not just that, they were considered cowards.

"Nonsense, I lost my sister! We have lost money, our house was a killing chamber and the ministry is constantly watching us!"

"Mother, he lost his job, the trust of the Ministry, he lost his friends…."

She interrupted, "Your father didn't have friends. Severus, Dolohov, Bellatrix and the rest weren't his friends. And if you are talking about Goyle and Crabbe, well I don't understand why they don't talk to him. It's not like your father has done anything to them," she said in frustration.

"Exactly! Goyle and Crabbe are still hiding, and if father walks out of this house they could find out and kill him," Draco said softly, trying to control his tone since he didn't like screaming at his mother. But this conversation was too repetitive; they had fought about the same thing over and over. When they went to Diagon Alley to get Draco's clothes for school they had argued over this, when they went to a restaurant two nights ago they had the same argument again and so on and so forth. When was she going to understand that despite the fact that the war was over they still had a lot of enemies?

"Are you scared for yourself son? Are you scared that Goyle will do something to you at school?"

"That's if he goes back," he sighed.

"Are you scared?" his mother asked again, concern echoed in her voice.

"Well, yes….Goyle was my friend. Even though I bullied him and treated him bad sometimes, he was a loyal friend."

"Oh, darling….Goyle is not going to do anything to you. He knows that you had nothing to do with your father's business…"

"Mother, I was a Death Eater; I had everything to do with it," he said resolutely.

"No you didn't. You did it because the Dark Lord threatened you. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Any other son would have done exactly the same for their mother."

He nodded but said nothing. Yes, any other son would have done it, but another son, a less cowardly one, would have fought without taking the easy way out. Who was he kidding!? He knew very well that he wasn't going to kill Dumbledore, he knew that the Dark Lord believed he was going to die trying, it was all just a ploy.

"Are you ready mother? I think we have wasted a lot of time here already," he sighed, grabbing his stuff and heading to hell…that is, King's Cross station.

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In other cases, students returned to school because even though the Ministry didn't think they needed to, they just wanted to finish their year like everyone else.

That was the case of war hero, Hermione Granger. She didn't need to return to school. The Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt had offered her and her two best friends jobs at the Ministry without finishing school, but she just felt that it wasn't right. And since it wasn't right for her she forced her friends to say no to the offer and go back to school to complete their education.

Yes, she knew a lot about magic, more than some teachers. She was the smartest witch of her time and knew about every potion and spells the magic world had legally. And even some that she wasn't supposed to know, but had read about at Hogwarts. Her friend Ron knew as much as her, that was certainly the case when it came to curses and Harry…well….he was the war hero and knew everything there was to know about curses. But they still needed to know how to make a number of potions, how to use their magic for other things besides fighting…like cooking and healing, and cleaning, definitely cleaning. For that reason she forced her friends to go back, and after a huge fight they realized that she was right, as usual. They were going to have a job at the Ministry eventually, but what if they decided they wanted to head towards a different direction, something outside the Ministry? They needed their last year to get those particular job offers.

After the war was over and everything got back to normal –well, as normal as it could get-- Hermione didn't waste time and went to Australia to get her parents back. It wasn't easy convincing them that they could trust her, but once she had them near, she cast the spell to bring back their memory. What happened? Well it didn't turn out as perfectly as she'd hoped. Neither of them remembered much about their life. Mr. Granger remembered being married to Mrs. Granger, he remembered that he was some kind of doctor but couldn't remember what kind. Mrs. Granger was another case. She could only recall having a happy life with her husband. But what was much worse than forgetting their professions was the fact that they had forgotten they once had a daughter. After bringing them back to 'normal', it was even more complicated to convince them that they could trust her and that she had once lived with them. But for Hermione it was even harder to address them as Mr. and Mrs. Granger, just for the sake of their condition. Hermione had called many witches and wizards to check on her parents, but none of them knew what went wrong. This was one of the main reasons why she'd decided to go back to school. She needed to learn more, to find a way to bring her parents memory back.

She knew that things at Hogwarts wouldn't be the same. They were a lot of bad memories in that castle. So many people had died there; people that she loved dearly lost their lives, people she didn't know, people she didn't like. Like Crabbe for example, she could remember all too clearly the scream of agony that came from him before being consumed by the flames.

She sighed. Going back to school was going to be hard, but she was a tough woman and she could finish this year.

She was in her room finishing what little packing she had left. Her parents weren't going with her to King's Cross out of precaution. Since they couldn't remember anything, she had stopped using magic in the house and didn't want to take them to a station packed with wizards and witches. What she did was get them a nurse that could watch over them while she was at school.

There was a soft knock on her door. "Hermione?"

"Come in," she said putting her wand in her pocket before the woman saw it. "Hey, you're here just in time. I have to go."

"Are you sure you want to leave your parents in my care?" the young woman asked.

"Yes…Cindy, I know that you can take good care of them. I have read your résumé quite thoroughly and I know that you are just the perfect person. They don't need you here all the time, because they have learnt to have a 'normal life' without the memory they have lost, but they do need some company and I know I can trust you to do that."

"Yeah…I mean, I need the money after all, and a place to stay since I lost everything in that weird fire."

The fire caused by the Death Eaters. But Cindy didn't know that.

"Yeah, what have you learnt about that?" Hermione asked.

"The firefighters don't have a clue about how it started," she said half-smiling.

Hermione nodded grimly. "Well…don't worry. I read that the government's starting the reconstruction of the place so you will have your apartment soon."

"I hope so."

"Hmm….well, I'll see you in December. Cindy, if you need me please, please write to me at the address that I gave you." She had given Cindy the muggle address of the Ministry.

"Okay."

Hermione sighed and walked out of her room with her stuff. "Mrs. Granger? Mr. Granger?"

"I'm in the kitchen," her mother yelled.

"Mrs. Granger" She walked to the kitchen and hugged her. "It's time for me to go."

"Oh, darling…we will miss you! You have been like a daughter to us. But we understand that you have to go back to the boarding school that you talked to us about!"

"I'll miss you guys, too," she said with great sadness. "Where's Mr. Granger?"

"Oh, he's in the garden. You know how obsessed he has become with the flowers."

Hermione chuckled.

"Hermione, are you sure you don't need a ride to the train station?" her mother asked after a moment of silence.

"I'm sure. I have my own way of getting there," she said grinning. Apparation was faster than cars!

She kissed her mother goodbye and headed outside to say goodbye to her father. "Mr. Granger, I'm leaving now, so do you want to leave your roses alone for a minute and kiss me goodbye?"

"Of course," he said smiling broadly. "Who's taking you to the station? You didn't call a taxi."

"I have my own way of getting there. Really! Now give me a kiss 'cause I have to go," she said returning his same sweet, broad smile.

He laughed out loud and kissed her goodbye. "I love you da…...Mr. Granger. I'll see you at Christmas. And please try to be nice to Cindy, I know Mrs. Granger is going to give her a hard time," she said before walking out of his sight to apparate at the apparition spot at the train station.

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"I can't believe so many people are returning to Hogwarts!" Narcissa said the minute they got to King's Cross station. The place was crowded with parents, students, their luggage and even their pets. She sniffled with annoyance at the lack of space. "I mean, I believed parents were going to be a little afraid."

"People are curious mother," Draco mumbled, guiding his bags with his wand.

"Oh yes. I'm sure a lot of the people that came today are here just to see if the Boy Who Lived is returning," she said sourly.

"I bet some of them are going to feel more secure knowing that he's returning to school," he said annoyed. Why did people idolize Potter so much? It was obvious that he was still alive because he was a very lucky guy. Honestly, who battled the Dark Lord and _lived _without using dark magic? Only one very lucky bastard, that's who. "And talking about wonder boy, here he comes!"

People started murmuring and moving with curiosity to have a better look at Harry.

Draco could tell he looked uncomfortable, as if he didn't want to be there right now with so many people asking for autographs and taking pictures.

"I wonder where his sidekick is?" his mother asked.

"Weasley's probably not returning. He lost a brother at school. Maybe he doesn't feel ready…"

"Oh please, Draco, the Weasley's will do absolutely everything to have some spotlight."

Draco continued watching how Potter got into the train swiftly and hid himself from the people. It must be annoying to have people all the time wanting to have something from you…but then again, it's not as bad as having people reject you for your wrong actions…

"Well, mother, I'm going to get a compartment," he said after the crowd calmed down. "I'll see you in December." He kissed both her cheeks.

"Take care Draco, and write to me every single week," she said patting his cheeks softly. "I love you."

He smiled softly. "I love you too, mother."

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"Ginny, have you seen Harry?" Hermione asked while positioning in front of platform 9 and ¾.

"He came earlier because he didn't want a lot of people asking for pictures and stuff like that," Ginny said angrily. She was sick of people not giving any of them their space. Even Neville had a fan club.

"Poor Harry," Hermione sighed. "And how are you doing, Ginny?

"I'm okay," she gave her a humorous smile.

"I know what you mean."

"How are your parents?" Ginny asked.

"Fine," Hermione said not looking at her. She hardly talked about her parents during the summer. It made her sad and angry to admit that she screwed up big time with them. "Well, I'm going in first. I'll see you in the train."

Ginny was right, the waiting crowd was big. Thank God she put on a jacket with a hoodie and covered her face until she got inside the train.

Inside the train, it was a different scenario. Everything was calm and quiet. She sat down with Harry, Ron and Ginny. Neville and Luna were talking (well, Luna was talking) with some girls about Nargle's. And Dean and Seamus were apparating at Hogsmead later in the week. Now that she thought about it, why didn't they apparate at Hogsmead too?! It would have saved Harry the trouble.

"I'm so sick of people asking all this rubbish," Harry snapped out in anger. "Can't they understand that I don't want to talk about it?"

"It's normal they want information Harry," Hermione said softly. "They've wanted information about you ever since you defeated Voldemort when you were a year old. Now they just want to know how you destroyed him for the second and last time."

"They've had enough from me already" he said coldly.

"You don't owe them anything Harry," Ginny said.

"Bloody right he doesn't!" Ron agreed.

Hermione smiled and picked up a book to read. "Hello." A soft voice said from the compartment door.

She looked up to see a sweet, smiling girl. She was as tall as her, with green eyes that had hints of brown and short black hair. "I'm Melanie."

"Hello," Harry said rolling his eyes. _Here we go again! _he thought bitterly.

The girl hesitated before speaking. "I wanted to have Hermione Granger's autograph. I've read everything about her. I've been following her work and accomplishments since I started at Hogwarts and—"

Ron masked his laugh with a cough and Harry elbowed him.

The girl scratched her throat and continued. "And uhm…my sister…yes, my sister, she wants your autograph and I promised to get it the moment I saw you."

"What year are you in?" Ginny asked. "I don't think I've seen you."

"I'm in my fifth year. I'm a Ravenclaw. Luna knows me," she smiled confidently.

"Err," Hermione looked at her, blushing a little. Although it was flattering, she wasn't familiar with all this attention, and she didn't feel comfortable with it. "I…"

Her words where cut short when she saw the person that stood near their compartment. Draco Malfoy looked at them and nodded once before walking away from their sight.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Ron asked.

Hermione frowned thoughtfully. "Same thing as us, I suppose. To finish the seventh year properly like the Minister suggested. Merlin knows he needs it."

"He doesn't deserve to come back. After all he has done," Ron said resentfully.

"Come on Ron! Things have changed. I think Malfoy was just misunderstood all these years, and we should listen to what Dumbledore wanted before. To have school unity!"

The four of them fell silent at the memory of their former Headmaster.

"So, can I have that autograph?" Melanie asked again, grinning and looking at Hermione excitedly.

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**Please remember to review. Let us know what you guys think so far!!! XD**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! So I didn't update before because I was waiting for my beta to check on the chapter, but unfortunately she's moving from houses and can't do it so I'm going to be publishing the chapters with only my checking and my friends checking for a while. Hopefully my beta can check them soon! My friend and I have worked hard to try to take as much mistake as possible but we are only human and (like I have said in other stories that I have written) English is our second language so take it easy on us, please. Oh and yeah, please I need you people to let reviews and let me know what you guys thing, there's really no way of knowing if the story is any good if no one talks. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, and I'm not going to be saying it in every chapter so this is the last time I'm going to say it. **

**HAPPY READING!!!!**

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Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione stared puzzled at the girl who waited for an autograph from the smartest witch in Hogwarts with a hopeful grin. Hermione cleared her throat. "Uhm, do you have any parchment?"

"Oh, most certainly!" the girl squealed. As she took parchment from her cloak pocket she missed the looks her audience exchanged at her overly eager vocabulary. "Here."

Hermione smiled shyly and signed with trembling fingers, before handing the paper back. The girl, Melanie, squealed again and ran out of the compartment, yelling her thanks as she left.

"Okay, that was weird," Ginny chuckled.

"She reminded me of Colin Creve," Hermione sighed sadly, remembering the genuine fan of Harry who also died in the war.

"Yeah, except Colin didn't have that weird look in his eye every time he stalked Harry," Ron said, shivering slightly.

"Oh please, Ron, you're only jealous because no one has asked for your autograph!" Ginny exclaimed rolling her eyes.

Everyone stood silent for a second and then burst out laughing.

Hermione missed that so much; to laugh freely and have not a care in the world. As an adult now, they would face adult responsibilities. But she would look at them with a positive mind. The war was over, Voldemort was defeated. Certainly anything that would come afterwards would be easier to bear than that.

One hour later they changed their muggle clothes and got ready to get down a Hogsmead station.

This was one of the moments that Hermione feared the most, to enter Hogwarts and have so many flashbacks. How was she going to react when she entered the castle? Worse, how were Ginny and Ron going to react? Ginny and Ron who had lost their brother in the castle.

"Do you think a lot of first years are going to be coming to Hogwarts? I mean after all that has transpired here," Ron asked getting inside the carriage that will take them to Hogwarts grounds.

"I hope so," Hermione said following him.

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Draco sat in a carriage that would get him to Hogwarts. But contrary to Hermione; he was alone. He saw many of his class mates on the train but hardly any of them looked at him. This year was definitely going to be a tough one. The train ride was a burden. He was anxious to get down and get out of the glances people were throwing at him. When he finally did, all he could think of was getting to Hogwarts…and then what? He didn't have a private room. He was sure his roommates were going to follow him and keep staring at him. Maybe if he stared back he could intimidate them…or at least make them think they had something stuck in their teeth or something. That thought brought a smile to his face. At least here in the carriage he was alone, if only for a couple of minutes, and he could think about his life in hell.

"Hello Draco." He suddenly heard. "May I join you?"

Draco broke out of his reverie and focused on the girl in front of him. She was rather pretty, a sight for sore eyes, but still.

"Do I know you?" he spat, annoyed that not even here he had the privacy he so badly wished.

"I don't think so. My name is Melanie! I saw you sitting alone and decide to join you," she said climbing into the carriage.

"I don't need your, or anyone's company," he sneered.

"Oh, I don't think you mean that," she said smiling.

"Yes, I do," he said. "Now get out!"

She looked down, a bit sullen. "I have no one to ride with. I'm not very popular at my house." She looked up at him stubbornly. "So I'm not leaving."

"Damn it! Why must this happen to me?" Draco asked to no one in particular.

The carriage began moving and Draco cursed softly. He was feeling slightly tempted to get his wand out and throw the girl out of the ride. He'd rather be stuck at the moment with his Slytherin class mates, having their glances and gossip, that sitting with a girl who looked as happy as a kid on Christmas morning.

"I met Harry Potter and Hermione Granger on the train," the girl in question suddenly said.

"Good for you."

"Hermione Granger is so cool. She's so smart. I admire her, she's my idol," Melanie said dreamily. "She's so humble… she even gave me an autograph….look!" She took out the piece of parchment and waved it on his face, almost shoving it up his nose. Before Draco could snap it away, she tugged it back to her chest, holding it for dear life.

"Granger thinks she's so smart. But I know she's not half as smart as everyone thinks she is," he said smirking, remembering with a smile what he heard Neville tell Luna earlier in the train that Hermione Granger had messed up her parents minds and now they didn't remember her. Certainly no smart person would have screwed up so badly.

"Whatever you think you know, Hermione Granger IS very smart. I can't believe you are talking badly about her when she saved your life," she almost shouted, her eyes flaring angrily.

"Granger didn't save my life," Draco said in a murderous whisper. "I saved it myself."

"How can you said that!? After everything she did for you! You should be grateful!" she shouted, getting up from her seat, in anger. She looked like she was going to strike him.

"I'm never going to be grateful to a Mudblood!" he said getting up as well just to intimidate her, being about six inches taller than her. But surprisingly the girl didn't flinch back.

"You apologize to her Draco Malfoy! You apologize or else!" she screamed poking his chest.

Fortunately for the girl, the carriage stopped at that point. Draco said coldly, "Not in a million years."

And before Melanie even had time to blink, he snatched the parchment that she was holding with Hermione's autograph and broke it into little pieces. The girl gasped and her eyes filled with tears. Draco smirked evilly one more time before grabbing his trunk and getting away from the crying girl next to him.

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Hermione was the last to get out of the carriage at Hogwarts's gates. She heard a soft sniff to her left, and saw Harry hugging Ginny. Ron was at her right side holding her hand softly. He and Hermione had gone through a change. Although in the end of the war they believed to be in love, they soon realized that what they felt for each other was just sibling love. Nothing more was there. They were grateful to realized it on time before their friendship could get badly damaged.

"Come on Ginny, we have to go inside," she heard Harry whispered softly to her.

Ginny nodded cleaning the tears pouring down her face.

Hermione took a deep breath and followed the line entering the magic castle, still holding Ron's hand for support. She knew that Ron wasn't one to cry but Hermione, as one of his best friend, knew he was devastated. During the summer, a big staff of the Ministry of Magic had taken to return Hogwarts to normal. Harry had helped but Hermione went to get her parents. Neither Ron nor any of the Weasley helped.

It took plenty of time to get inside the castle, since the people in front of them were moving extremely slow taking in the surroundings of the castle. The workers had done a great job and it looked like nothing had happened just two months before. The statues and armors that had defended the castle under McGonagall's powerful charm were back to normal, in their usual posts. The elves were back in the kitchens, using their knives and skills to cook dinner instead of battling Death Eaters.

When they finally got to the great hall they saw that even the tables were the same; divided for each house. The four of them sat down at the front of the table to listen to the speech of the new Head Mistress, Professor McGonagall.

"Hermione, do you think you are going to be Head Girl now that you are here to finish your seven year?" Ron asked once they were comfortably sitting.

"I don't think so Ron. Like you said I'm here to finish, I wasn't here last year. I think some other girl deserves that honor more than me," she said smiling softly.

"If someone deserved that title it's you. You fought harder than any other girl," he said loyally.

"Thanks….but I'm sure I'm not going to have it and I'm fine with it. I don't know if I'm prepared to take that responsibility since I have a lot to catch up this year."

"We all have a lot to catch up this year," Ginny said. "We hardly learned anything last year. This year is my seventh and I hardly remember what I learned on my six. I was too busy keeping the Resistance with Neville and Luna to bother about my classes."

"I think everyone is going to feel that way," Hermione said.

"Hey…there comes Malfoy. He looks….different," Harry said watching the boy who was walking to his Slytherin table with all the gracefulness in the world.

They watch Draco sit down alone in a corner of the table and putting his hand on the table. None of the Slytherin apparently wished to talk to him at the moment. Some scooped farther away, others just plainly ignored him.

"I wonder why none of his classmates are talking to him?" Ginny said confused.

"Well, it's obvious!" Hermione snorted. "Last year, in Slytherin's mind, he betrayed every one of them. He didn't leave with them; he stayed, and cowardly fought for both groups just to save his life. And then when every Death Eater alive was taken to prison his father got out because he supposedly helped us, when we all know that's not true."

"Yeah but we have to remember that his mother did help me..." interrupted Harry.

"Yes, his mother, not his father. Malfoy's father should be in Azkaban too, but he's not. And a lot of the Slytherin parents are in prison. It's no wonder they don't like him at this moment. If I was Malfoy, I wouldn't even come to school. Who knows what the Slytherins will do to him."

"They are not going to do anything to him," Ginny said. "Like you said, they are cowards."

"It's not only physically that they can hurt someone Ginny," Hermione whispered, before shushing them when Harry was about to say something. "Professor McGonagall is going to make the speech."

Professor McGonagall was standing behind the podium where just two years ago Dumbledore stood for the last time. It was sad to see her there, to Hermione, Ron and Harry who didn't returned last year to see Snape take that place, but for the other students it was a most fortunate change from the last year's Head Master.

"Good evening, and welcome to a new and refreshing year at Hogwarts. Tragic events have happened in the previous year in the country and in our castle, and many of us still grieve for the lost. And yet I am sure that, with the help of the staff and friends, we will overcome this grief and write a new and bright chapter on the History of Hogwarts. Let us do our best and honor the sacrifice of the brave souls who gave their lives so we can stand now as free wizards. Now, let's go on with the sorting and then, supper. Enjoy."

"Wow….that certainly opened my appetite," Ginny mumbled sarcastically.

"Well…at least she said something. Don't you read _The_ _Prophet,_ Ginny? Professor McGonagall didn't actually want to be the Headmistress, she just accepted it because Kingsley didn't find someone else, and she was the oldest to teach here at Hogwarts."

"Yeah, I heard that Kingsley is having a hard time to put at staff back. And talking about staff…who's going to be the new teacher for D.A.D.A.?" asked Harry.

"No idea," said Ron sighing. "Does this hat is going to take much longer? I'm starving!"  
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Back in the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy was falling asleep listening to the sorting hat decide the house of each and every one of the new students. For the first time he didn't feel like knowing who entered his house. He just wished to eat and get the hell out of there. At least his Slytherin mates weren't looking at him. They easily pretended that he wasn't at the table.

"Hey Draco," he heard someone whisper to his left. He turned to find Theodore Nott smiling at him. Draco raised his eyes brows but didn't say anything. "How are you doing man? I didn't see you in the train. Some of the Slytherin told me that you were there but I didn't find you. And now I kept switching places in the table to see you."

"I'm okay Nott," he said not looking at him. Didn't Nott hear that he was a traitor? That his parents pretended at the end to be in the good side of the war? That many people wished him dead?

"You don't look fine. You are not mad at us for leaving you alone in the castle with Crabbe and Goyle are you? I heard that Crabbe passed away. What happened? And Goyle didn't want to talk about it or you. He actually looked gloomy."

"Why should I be mad at you Nott? Every one took sides at the war. Everyone fought to stay alive," Draco muttered.

"Yeah, I know. I mean some of the Slytherin say that you just left them, but I don't think so. I mean you stood here trying to help the Dark Lord," he said serious.

Draco nodded but didn't say anything. He had never trusted Nott. And for sure he didn't stay there to help the Dark Lord; he stood to save his life.

A couple of minutes later the sorting hat had finished and a great dinner appeared at the table. "Finally!" he mumbled before digging in.

-------

"Finally!" said a hungry looking Ron from the Gryffindor table. He didn't wait to dig into his food. Hermione smiled and dug in as well.

"This is good stuff!" exclaimed Ron with a mouth full of mashed potato and fried chicken.

"Yeah….I can tell," Ginny said disgusted.

Hermione and Harry laughed gaily and continue devouring their food. After eating, everything vanished from the tables and Professor McGonagall stood once again from her chair.

"Now, I'm certain that the head girl and head boy know who they are, and I will need them to take charge of the first years along with the prefects. But before you leave, know that we still don't have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, but we believe by next week we'll have one and I will let you know. " She raised both her arms, like embracing everyone in the room; just like Dumbledore just to do and said, "Enjoy this year at Hogwarts."

Everyone started to stand up noisily from the tables.

"Like I said, the mice bit her tongue," Ginny said chuckling taking Harry's hand.

Hermione laughed and fallowed them.

The walk to the Gryffindor common room took longer that it usually took since a bunch of Gryffindors stopped in front of them to take pictures and questioning. Ron loved this turn of events, being the first time that he was actually famous for something that he did and not because he was only Harry Potter's friend. Ginny was screaming at everyone that got on their way, and Harry and Hermione looked at the floor and tried really hard to ignore. Once inside the common room, Hermione ran to her room with Ginny and Ron and Harry did the same.

-----

To Draco it was a different deal. He got to his room faster than he ever had. Everyone that passed near him left an open space. No one wished to talk to him, no one wished to even look at him. Not even the girls that a year ago were drooling over him.

When he got to the dungeons he walked fast to his room, which was too shared with Theodore Nott, Gregory Goyle and Blaise Zabini. Luckily the only person there was Nott and he looked to still be friendly toward him, although Draco suspected that he was just acting to try and get information about certain things like where his father was.

"Hello, Draco," he said.

"Hello, Nott….I'm going to sleep. Don't disturb!" he said jumping on his bed.

The day next was pretty much the same as the previous one. No one talked to him, not even Nott looked for conversation anymore. Everyone kept throwing dark looks at him and kept gossiping.

The next day, and next and the day after that was the same. Draco was already getting used to this behavior, even if he felt lonelier than ever. The worst part was that even though he didn't want to accept it, this was affecting him in classes, and he certainly didn't want to fail like it happened last year. But with no one here to talk to and the only professor who would have understood gone, he was starting to slowly fall into a depression.

------

Hermione was in the library finishing an essay for Potion to go and have some lunch later, before going to Charms. The library was the only place where she could have peace. People here wouldn't dare ask for autographs, or take picture or ask anything.

She was feeling slightly stressed since she felt that she was far behind in the classes, she was very smart, there was no doubt about that, but after a year out of school it wasn't easy starting back, especially when she couldn't take her parent's out of her mind for one second. She was already starting to regret coming back to Hogwarts.

After much hard work, once done with the essay she headed to the great hall where Ron and Harry were waiting for her.

"What took you so long?" Ron asked the minute she sat down.

"It's was a long essay Ronald, and I wanted to finish it to start with the Transfiguration essay."

"The Potion essay is for next Wednesday…."

"So it's Tuesday! I'm far behind!" she snapped.

"Hermione….you still have a week," Harry said softly. Ron looked startled.

"Like I said, I'm far behind Harry. I still have the Transfiguration essay, and Charms homework, and an Ancient Runes chapter to read and…"

But she was cut off when she saw Malfoy entering the great hall. Simply put, he looked like something a Hypogriff chewed on and then decided wasn't worthy of swallowing. The only time that she remembered seen him like that was in sixth year when he was supposed to kill Dumbledore. He looked positively miserable.

She saw Malfoy sitting down at the far end of the table alone and playing with his food. While she looked she thought about the last days. She hadn't seen Malfoy much in the halls, but when she _had_ seen him he was always alone, and in class room he sat in the far back, away from everyone. Quite a change from the cocky boy who always sat surrounded by mates in every class. Why were his Slytherin friends not talking to him, she knew, but she still didn't believe it fair.

"So Dean and Seamus are returning to Hogwarts next week," Harry said bringing her back from her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Dean…"

"Oh yeah, Ginny told me this morning thought, she said you received the letter yesterday night when I was already sleeping," she said smiling softly.

Harry nodded.

But once again she looked at Draco and now she felt…could it be…sorry for him? People on the table were throwing crumb pieces at him, just to bug him, others were pointing at him.

Was this the plan, to bug him at the moment? Because it looked like they planned it.

Suddenly Malfoy stood up from the table and as graceful as he could, walked away from the Great Hall.

Hermione looked at Ron and he shrugged and Harry barely did the same.

After a couple of minutes they left the Great Hall to go to the next class together where Hermione saw a certain blond standing in the shadows.

"Err…why you don't go first? I have to go to the …bathroom," she said.

When she was sure she was alone she walked to Draco.

She coughed softly to get his attention.

He looked at her, for a moment stunned but quickly regained his composure and threw her a dirty look. "What do you want mud…"

"Don't you dare," she said coldly. He shut his mouth, a grim line holding back the insult. They stared at each other, trying to mask their emotions behind a cool façade. Hermione broke the silence, "I'm sorry about what the Slytherin are doing to you."

"I don't care what you feel, Granger." Who was this girl to come to him and tell him that she was sorry? As if he needed anyone's pity!

"I don't think you are in a position to talk to me like that, Malfoy, I'm here to see if…and maybe I'm going to regret this…but I'm here to see if you need something. Dumbledore wanted school unity and…."

"Who cares about what that stupid old man said!?"

"I do!" she spat.

"Well, I don't! And I don't care about what you're here to offer, so get out of my face," he whispered coldly, getting dangerously close to her.

"I'm not getting out of your face! Like I said, you are not in a position to be picky, after the entire Slytherin made a mockery out of you."

For a second he looked like he was going to strike her but then laughed and said in a harsh tone, "Saint Granger to the rescue!"

"You should be grateful that I came to look after you and….

"I'm never going to be grateful to a mudblood!" he nearly shouted, losing his temper, and all his frustration in the past months coming to the surface against the one girl who offered him a hand. "Don't you get it, bitch? I don't need you or anyone. I'm fine alone. So get out."

Hermione gripped her want in her pocket, while her other hand curled into a tight fist. "After all Harry, Ron and I have done for you! After we saved your sorry life last year! After we saved your pathetic dad from going to Azkaban, you keep treating the rest of us like scum! You think you are better than us!

"I don't think so…I know I am," he smirked.

It took every ounce of self control to keep from slapping the smirk of his face. Instead she said with all the disgust she could muster, "When are you going to wake up and realize you are nobody!? That you are just a scared, cowardly man-child with equally scared, cowardly parents?"

"Don't you _dare_ mention my parents Granger…. It is because of _my_ mother that your precious Potter is alive, because of me, _you_ are alive…"

"Oh, _that's_ rich!"

"Is it? Who was Aunt Bella asking if you were the Mudblood, huh? She didn't ask Potter or Weasley! She asked _me_, and I never said it was you. Because of _me_ she didn't kill you!"

"Oh, please! You didn't do _anything_; you cowered and hid behind your mummy."

"But you know what Granger?" he suddenly smirked evilly. "At least my mummy and daddy remember me. At least they haven't forgotten that they have a son." He enjoyed watching as her eyes grew moist and shiny, how even then she was too proud to let the tears fall. He knew it was a low blow…and he loved it. Until he saw the tears she tried to control from falling, strolling down her cheeks copiously. Maybe, just maybe, he went too far. But before he could say anything, not that he was planning to apologize, Hermione was running out of his sight.

His smirk vanished and for the first time, he felt bad he had won.

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**Please remember to review!**


	3. Chapter 3

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So here goes another chapter.

**I'm so sorry for the long wait but my friend (the one helping me with the story) and I are back in college, and it has been a really HARD semester. She's a senior this year, and graduates in May and has a lot of things to do in school plus she started searching for colleges to do her master. And I already graduated but I'm doing a teaching certificated and between classes, work, and making 6 hours monthly of observation in a school, I hardly have time for anything. **

**Anyway enough of my problems….please, please remember to review. I've received many story alerts but honestly that doesn't say anything. Oh and this chapter wasn't check by my beta since she is still the moving process. So please be gentle.**

**HAPPY READING!**

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Hermione ran until her feet couldn't carry her any longer; that's to say until she got deep inside the forbidden forest. How could someone be so mean? But most important, how did Malfoy, of all people, know what happened to her parents? That was supposed to be a secret. One that she had only shared with her closest friends. She wouldn't even consider thinking that any of them betrayed her trust. She trusted all of them and knew that they wouldn't say anything.

Shaken, she looked around her, taking in the sight of sun rays trying to break through the thick trees of the forest. She wrapped her arms around her waist and slowed her breathing. Harry and Ron were going to be worried when they didn't see her in the classroom, but at this point she really didn't care. The hurt she was feeling went beyond classes.

She knew that Malfoy hated her and her guts. She knew that he was mean, self center and egotistical, but she never though he could kick so low. Hermione backed against a tree and sobbed. Malfoy's attack had broken the tight control she had over her emotions, and now everything, the dead friends, her parents, her fears, the bitterness of the victory, all burst forth in a torrent of tears with no witness.

Soon, her grief gave way to rage. Mafoy would pay. Yes, he was right, her parents didn't remember her, but she was not going to let him get away with using it against her. He had insulted and abused her for years and until then, she had let him get away with it. But he was _not, _under any circumstance, get personal with her parents!

She sat down and covered her face with her hands, drying her tears with new resolve. Moments later, she heard noises. She straightened and took her wand out, mentally cursing herself for being so stupid as to go into the forbidden forest. How was she going to find her way out to school again? What if a centaur saw her? Even worse! What if one of Aragog's brethren found her? She would be dead meat.

Slowly, very slowly, trying to move as little as possible, she looked around.

Then, out of nowhere, she heard a soft whistle.

"Hello?" she whispered, panicked. "Is someone there?"

"Hello Hermione," A soft voice near her said.

"Ahhhhhh," Hermione shrieked.

"It's me, Melanie! Don't be scared," the girl said coming out finally from the woods, holding her hands up in mock surrender.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione snapped, holding her fist to her cloak almost hyperventilating.

"I saw you running down here and though you needed some help," she said smiling.

"Well, that was very nice of you, but I don't need help," she said standing up and brushing invisible dust from her clothes as she tried to gather her wits.

"I heard what Malfoy said to you."

Hermione froze, and looked up at her with wide eyes. God! How many people heard?

"I was reading a book in the class room near and I saw you talking with Malfoy," Melanie explained. "He was so mean to you."

"Yes, well it's Malfoy, right?"

"You should do something to make him pay," she said all business. "If it was me, I wouldn't let him get away with talking about my parents like that."

Hermione swallowed and looked away. The girl was right. Hermione herself wanted to make him pay, but what could she do? She had spent so many years ignoring Malfoy that now that her anger had subsided; she was emotionally drained and couldn't think of a good plan.

"What can I do about it?" Hermione asked sighing.

"I can help you make him pay," she said, and to Hermione's surprise, she saw a spark of excitement in Melanie's eyes.

"How can _you _help me?" she asked. '_Considering the fact that you are only 14 or 15_,' she thought.

"Well, I have an idea."

Hermione stared at her for a couple of seconds, confused. Should she ignore her or should she sit down and listen? At the end she decided for the latter. She sat down once again. "I'm all ears."

The girl sat down in front of her and grinned.

"All right, here's the question. How can you make a man hurt?" she asked, smirking.

Hermione frowned, and Melanie rolled her eyes impatiently. "By hurting his heart, of course!"

"I don't understand Melanie."

"It's simple. You make Malfoy fall in love with you, and then you break his black, twisted heart. Assuming he actually _has _one" Melanie laughed sardonically at her own joke.

Hermione looked at the girl as if she was crazy, which she probably was. Why was she being so helpful? Why did she want to hurt Malfoy?

"Right, like Malfoy is going to believe I want something with him!" Hermione said rolling her eyes. "Even if there was a chance, in some alternative universe, that I could pull this through, there is no way it would be enough to actually break his heart."

Melanie simply smiled. "You are smarter than that Hermione. You know that you have to win him."

"What can you possible get from this Melanie? I can get revenge for hurting me so many times, but you? I'm sorry, but it's hard to believe you do this out of the goodness of your heart."

"I will get revenge too, because he hurt me at the beginning of this semester. Besides, it's not as simple as it sounds. You see, since I'm helping you, we have to make a pact. A pact I learned a couple of months ago, in a trip to the Continent. A pact that will keep you from falling in love with him."

Hermione snorted. "Yeah, like that's ever going to happen. So, what is this pact you're talking about? How does it work?"

"Well, it's sort of like a bet. I give you something if you win…and you give me something if I win. Simple rules, don't you agree? "

"How are you going to find out if you win? It's not like I spend my time with you."

"The pact provides the means to find out exactly when someone wins, so no one can accuse the other of cheating. It's very powerful. It will let me know if you lose," Melanie said serious.

"How will you know? How can the pact know?" she asked puzzled.

"Hermione, there are some things a person like you wouldn't do without being in love. And I'm not talking about a kiss. Because, let's face it, you wont get him hot on your heels without giving him some loving first, know what I mean? But as soon as you do something out of love, something extreme, the pact will know, and I will win."

Hermione took deep breaths. This sounded like really dark magic. "Why would I ever make a pact with you?"

"Don't you want to get revenge against him for hurting you? Don't you want to make him suffer just like he had made you suffer all these years? Don't you want to see him break?"

"Yes…at this point I would love to see him squirming in pain," Hermione said holding back the tears. Every time she thought about what he had said it made her want to go back and curse the hell out of him.

"Well, then let's make the pact, Hermione."

"I don't know, Melanie. I'm not the sort of person to jump into something without thinking it through. I don't even know the name of the pact, or if it is Dark Magic. I won't do it if it is."

Melanie giggled. "Oh, didn't I tell you? It's the _Payer Pact_. I assure you it's very legal, and if I know about it, then surely you must too." She smiled, taunting. "After all, you _are _the smartest witch in Hogwarts, right?"

Hermione ignored her taunt and replied icily, "Of course I've heard of it. You should have said so sooner. But…"

The other girl cut in, "There's not much to think about. If you let Malfoy get away with this, he will always get away with everything."

Hermione nodded but didn't say anything. Melanie was probably right. Hermione had saved his life with Harry and Ron but that hadn't changed him, she had tried to help him but that also didn't help. Maybe Melanie was right. Maybe he deserved to be fooled for once. And it wasn't like she was going to kill him! She was just going to deliver a healthy dose of suffering that he had coming for years now. But first, the prizes should be settled. "What do I get when I win?" she asked.

"Anything you want."

Hmm…what could she possibly ask from her? Melanie couldn't help her parents. Hermione knew that if she hadn't found the cure for her parents yet, then Melanie couldn't either. But there _had_ to be something Melanie could give her... Moreover, what did she want in return from this? "What do you get if say you win?"

Melanie smiled and Hermione held her breath. "If you lose…you relinquish your powers to me."

"WHAT!?"

The girl looked like a grinning cat. "You are a smart girl Hermione. I'm sure you are going to win. But, in the unlikely case that you lose, well, I want you powers."

"Are you out of your mind? I can't give you my powers!" Hermione gasped.

Melanie deepened her voice in a mocking imitation of Draco, " 'At least my mummy and daddy remember me, Granger. At least they remember I'm their son!'" She opened her arms wide, to stress her point. "Don't you want to make him suffer for saying those words to the smarter witch this generation has seen?"

Hermione looked away. Damn, but those words hurt so much. Melanie was right, if she let him get away with this, he was always going to get away with everything. Besides, it was a safe bet, one she knew she wouldn't lose. She was NEVER going to fall in love with him, not in a million years. Now the question was; could she make him fall in love with her?

"Let's say I make this pact. How much time do I have? To make him love me, that is."

"Hmmm…well its September, so I say, a week before the end of the school year, June."

So she had almost eight months to win this bet. It was going to be really hard, but like Melanie said, she was a smart woman. She could make it. In the end, she was going to teach him to never again mess around with her. Teach him that, after all, he was just a stupid little ferret who couldn't help falling in love with a mudblood.

"How do we make this pact?"

Melanie squealed in delight. "We can make it right now. I know the spell. It's sort of like the unbreakable vow, the only thing is that after the pact is done a bracelet will appear around our wrist. If the bracelet turns blue you won, if it turns red….well, you know."

"And there's no way of taking this bracelets off?"

"Nope…not until the end of the bet."

"Okay."

"Well, Hermione if you are sure, give me your right hand."

Hermione looked at her for a few seconds. _'Damn, I hope I don't regret this!'_

Slowly, very slowly, she gave her hand to Melanie. Melanie took it with her right hand and took her wand with the left. Without letting Hermione say something else she said, "Revenge is sweet and for that we compromise to make this our secret and make sure that one individual and one individual only will pay. Hermione Granger, do you promise to handle your powers to me, Melanie Shay, if you lose?"

Hermione bit her lip anxiously. "Errr….err….yes," she whispered.

"I, Melanie Shay, swear to give Hermione Granger anything that she asks for if she wins," she said smiling broadly. "This pact is valid until the week before the end of the semester. The target is Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger will lose if, and only if she gives proof of loving Draco Malfoy or if she doesn't fulfill the bet."

"And I'm never falling in love," she mumbled. Melanie smiled, but didn't say anything.

She let go of Hermione's hand and smiled looking at her wrist. A plain copper bracelet with a single moonstone rested against her skin. Hermione looked at her and saw one of the same in hers.

Damn, this was real!

"Well, Hermione, I'll see you around. And remember…the pact knows all!"

Hermione stiffened a nod, but didn't say anything. Not because she didn't want to but more because she couldn't process speaking.

What had she gotten into?

How could she possibly get to talk to Malfoy and make him actually listen to her?

She took two deep breaths, grabbed the stuff she had dropped to the floor and walked back into the castle. She had just screwed her whole year at Hogwarts with this stupid bet. Damn it, she already had so many things clogging her mind, and now she added something else to the load. How could she possibly graduate with excellent grades, take care of her parents and make Malfoy fall in love with her in one school year?

--------

Draco Malfoy left the classroom and walked through the hall, surprised. Why? Because Granger, Hermione Granger never made it to class. It's wasn't like he cared for her but he knew that maybe he went too far this time. After all, the only time Granger had missed class was because she was literally petrified in the Infirmary.

Well, it _wa_s her fault! No one told her to dare mention his parents. No one messed around with them. Despite knowing their true colors he admired and loved each of them. It was okay for him to talk about them, but it was different when someone did. Not even his once friends of Slytherin talked about them.

"Hey Draco," he heard Theodore Nott.

"Hmm?"

"Look, we are having a little party this weekend at the Slytherin common room. We will like for you to join us."

"Who will like for me to join the party? Goyle? Pansy? Blaise? Please…."

"Really, mate. Pansy wants to see you…if you know what I mean. And Goyle doesn't care any longer what his parents think. And Blaise, well…"

"Look, you tell Pansy to stop being a slut and that I don't want to see her. I don't give a damn about Blaise. And as to Goyle…well tell him that he could go to my room if he wishes to speak to me," Draco said a little shocked that Goyle actually wanted to talk to him.

"But mate, the party is going to be great. You shouldn't miss…"

"I'm not going, Nott. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go to the library to do an essay."

With that, Draco walked away from his friend.

Why should he join any of them for a party? He wasn't desperate enough to get laid by Pansy, he had never slept with her and he wasn't going to start now. He didn't care much about Blaise's friendship, and Goyle…well…he wasn't much of a talker since he wasn't smart enough to make a good conversation but he missed Draco just like he missed him, for that reason he was going to grant Goyle some of his time. If he got something else than scorn and mockery, then he would hang out with him again. After all, having only one friend was slightly less pathetic than having no friends at all, but a step up was a step up, no matter how small.

Draco went to the library but left two minutes later realizing that he wasn't in the mood to do his essay. Something was eating him up. Something that had to do with Granger. And it was maybe because for once in his life he felt something…something near regret. He didn't actually regret insulting her…he did regret talking about her parents. He had to admit he would be crushed too if his parents were sick and got insulted for it.

Maybe…just maybe he should consider apologizing to her. But just maybe. And that maybe wasn't going to happen because Draco never apologized to anyone.

-------

Several days passed. Harry and Ron knew that something was going on in Hermione's life, but what was it? They had no idea! Hermione had said that she missed class a couple of days ago because she got a stomach ache. When they pressed for more information she told them that every month women go through a cycle that often leaves them indisposed. Before she could continue, but not after Ron's ears were three shades of red, Harry stopped her. No more questions were asked.

At this point Hermione couldn't care less what her friends thought. She was way to busy figuring out how she was going to even talk to Draco.

She had tried. Oh, she had! But it wasn't as simple as it sounded. Not that it sounded really easy to talk to Draco the Ferret Malfoy…

She had tried reaching him at the library but then chickened out. She had tried talking to him in the hall but she got so nervous she dropped her books and forgot her line. She tried following him to the green house but decided that it was best to finish her Transfiguration essay.

Today, almost a week after she stupidly made the bet with Melanie she hadn't talk to him. And didn't know how she could.

She was so stupid. Why had she dared make the bet when she was so angry? Now that the anger was out she was thinking straight and realized the big mistake that she had committed. Not because she feared falling for him, but because she knew that he wasn't going to fall for her. And she was so stupid because she didn't realize that in the end of the bet, it didn't matter if she didn't love him, because if he didn't love her, she was going to lose anyway.

So now she only had one thing in mind. She had to win or else win. She _needed_ to win. There was no way in hell that she could surrender her powers to Melanie. She needed her powers. She needed them not for herself but to help her parents. How didn't she think about them before making the bet? Well, she had but not about their condition, she had thought about taking revenge. And maybe she had accepted it because she needed to take her anger out with someone. The anger and frustration she felt with herself for messing up their lives.

"I'm going to the library to read a little. I'll see you guys later," she said after a couple of seconds of procrastinating her homework. Procrastinating was not on Hermione's brain program, and so it felt new and confusing to her.

"Are you sure you okay 'Mione?" Ron asked concern obvious in his blue eyes.

"I'm fine Ron, honestly," she said smiling softly. "I just need to read again what Professor McGonagall taught us today to make a good essay."

"Okay…be careful your brain doesn't end up smoking," he said winking.

"It's my brain, Ron, not yours," she chuckled.

She grabbed her things and walked to the library. She only had two hours to read and two hours wasn't enough for her.

When she got to the library she decided that she actually didn't want to read anything about classes. She wanted something new. But what could that be?

She walked to the romantic section of the library. The section where a girl like her, so down to earth, would never walk into. But, what the heck? She should give a try to some magic novels. She had heard that some of the witched who wrote them were pretty wicked and naughty. Maybe that was what she needed a change in reading.

She reached to the first book that she saw way up in the shelves, but couldn't reach it. Damn, why did she have to be short? At 5'4 she wasn't exactly short but neither tall.

She tried to reach it once more but found out that it was impossible. Where was the little ladder when you needed it!?

Suddenly she saw a pale hand reaching for the book.

She looked up and her eyes widened.

Draco Malfoy was actually grabbing the book that she wanted.

"Here….I…I saw you struggling from far away. Never thought you had it in you to be so fully romantic, Granger," he said smirking mockingly.

"Th…thanks," she said shocked. Draco Malfoy actually spoke words to her without insults! Was Voldemort coming back?

"Look…about….you know…about the other day…." he choked.

Hermione looked at him bewildered. Did Draco Malfoy was actually trying to apologize. Nah! But he looked like he was sucking on a rotten melon. Wow! Maybe this was the opening Hermione needed to get her bet into work.

"It's okay. Don't worry. It's forgiven," she said trying her best to give him a sweet smile. Yes this was definitely the only opportunity she was going to get.

"Okay," he said visibly relaxing.

"So….I'm going to see what's this book about," she mumbled looking at the book. Damn, how hard was it to say something to him. After all, what did they have in common?

"Sure…I'm going to be finishing my Transfiguration essay," he mumbled back at her.

Hermione was actually shocked. Was this real? Malfoy, talking to her?

"Yeah, I should probably start mine too," she said.

"I can help," he blurted, and as soon as he said it, shock was visible all over his features.

"Thanks," she nodded, turning around and walking to her table.

If she could name the top awkward moments of her life, this was definitely on the top five.

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Draco didn't know what possessed him to help her. Maybe the fact that when he saw her grabbing the book, she looked very miserable and he decided that he should be mature for once and try to apologize.

Then the apology didn't come out, but it was okay, because she understood and thus saved him from choking himself to death before spitting out the words.

And then he decided to offer help because that was a way of saying 'I'm sorry' without actually saying the awful words.

_I'm so smart_, he thought sitting back on his chair.

He knew that she wasn't going to accept his help.

"Can you really help me with the essay?"

He looked up, shocked. And started coughing… badly.

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